Saxophone.



P. EVETTE.

SAXOPHONE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 25, 1907.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

fizaezzior 2 Z .Z We ZZ'e d d A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL EVETTE, OE PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SOCIETE EVETTE ET SCHAEFFER,OF PARIS, FRANCE, A CORPORATION OF FRANCE.

SAXOPHONE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

Application filed June 25, 1907. Serial No. 380,791.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL Evnrrn, a citi- Zen of the French Republic,residing at Paris, Department of the Seine, in France, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Saxophones, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the key arrangement ofsaxopliones and consists in the construction and disposition of the keyswhich will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing: Figure l is an elevation of a portion of a saxophoneembodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevationof a portion of the saxophone from the side opposite that shown byFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa detail sectional elevation of a part of the key mechanism.

The B-natural key 1 (Fig. 1), which is operative to close the normallyopen cover 2, is connected to a rod 19 having a projecting arm 3 securedthereto. A finger key 4: fixed to a sleeve 20 is operative to open thenormally closed E-fiat cover 15, said sleeve being mounted on astationary axle or rod 20 carried by suitable supports or mountings onthe instrument body, as shown by Fig. l, and connected to said sleeve isa bridge 16 which is attached to a sleeve 2O adjacent and directlysecured to the said cover 15. A finger key 5 secured to the movable rod9 is attached to the D-natural normally open cover 17. In addition tothese keys, a finger key 6 is secured to a sleeve 7 also movably mountedon the rod 20 in longitudinal alinement with the sleeve 20 of the fingerkey a but independent of the said latter sleeve 20. The finger key 5carries an arm 18 extending substantially parallel with the rod 9 andthe sleeve 20 and engages the under side of the finger key 6. The fingerkey 6 also carries a projection 8, which is held in contact with the arm3 projecting from the rod 19. An arm 10 is secured to the rod 9 of theD-cover 17 and bears against the arm 11 of the normally closed C-sharpcover 12 which is actuated through the medium of the rod 13 having thesaid arm 11 attached thereto and extending upwardly parallel with therod 19 and actuated by the finger piece 14; secured to the said rod 13.The operation of the finger key 4 actuates the E-fiat cover 15 throughthe medium of the bridge 16 rigidly connecting the two sleeves 20 and20, the said bridge being free of the opposite extremities of the sleeve7 and operable independently of the latter.

The advantages of the novel mechanism as compared to the organization ofold and well-known elements in this type of wind instruments are asfollows: C-sharp, which in the old mechanism necessitates the depressionof the finger key 14 for opening the cover 12 and the depression of thefinger key 5 for closing the cover 17, is effected in the neworganization with a single finger, as the depression of the finger key14 produces a depression of the finger key 5 of the D-cover through themedium of the arm 10 which is directly operated by the arm 11.

It will be understood that the foregoing covers and key levers will beequipped with structural details commonly known in saxophones to disposethem in proper operative positions. This application of springs is wellknown in the art and need not be particularly described. All of the keysand covers of the instrument are mounted as in ordinary devices of thisclass except in the particulars herein explained, and in addition to thekeys and covers referred to by reference characters the instrument willbe equipped with the usual complement of keys and covers.

In the old mechanism the actuation to produce B-natural necessitates adouble operation, consisting in depressing the key 1 for closing thecover 2 and the finger key 5 for closing the cover 17. In the improvedmechanism the depression of the additional finger key 6 causes theclosing of the cover 17 by the arm 18 and causes the actuation of thefinger key 5 and sleeve 9 with a consequent closing of the cover 2 bythe actuation of the arm 3 through the contact therewith of the arm 8without requiring the actuation of key 1.

hat is claimed is 1. A saxophone having a normally closed E-fiat coverhaving a key for opening the same, a normally open D-natural coverprovided with an operating key, a normally open B-natural cover togetherwith the remaining keys and covers, and a key for operating theB-natnral cover provided with a lever for closing the latter, the D-natural key having an arm which is engaged by said B-natural coveroperating key for closing the D-natural cover, the keys for operatingthe Eflat and D-natural covers being located adjacent to the saidB-natural cover operating key.

2. A saxophone having a normally closed E-fiat cover provided withoperating means consisting of two axially supported sleeves connected bya bridge, one of the sleeves having a key attached thereto and the otherconnected to the said E-flat cover, a normally open D-natural coverhaving an operating key with an arm projecting therefrom, a normallyopen B-natural cover having a key and operating rod connected thereto,the rod being provided With a projecting arm, together with theremaining keys and covers, and a key having means movably mounted on theaxial support of the operating means for the .E-flat cover and providedwith a projecting arm engaging the arm of the rod for operating theB-natural cover, said latter key also having the arm from the key of theD-natural cover extending thereunder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

PAUL EVETTE. \Vitnesses:

EMILE KLo'rz, I'IANSON C. Ooxn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). G.

